Former AEW champion to make WWE return on RAW after 4-year absence and attack AJ Styles? Possibility explored
AJ Styles will make his first appearance on Monday Night RAW this week, just a few days after joining the red brand from SmackDown via the Transfer Window. The Phenomenal One returned to WWE a week ago at the Royal Rumble and is now preparing for a fresh start.
What he will do on RAW is still unclear, but he could re-ignite his feud with a returning superstar. This star is Malakai Black, who is officially a free agent after parting ways with AEW. The former House of Black leader could return to WWE as early as tonight for the first time since 2020.
Malakai Black has left Tony Khan's company and can now sign with any company he wants right away. Thus, we could see him show up on RAW on Netflix this Monday night and go after AJ Styles.
The two superstars had a feud back in February 2020, where AJ Styles and The OC (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson) had targeted Black. Styles and Black had a match on RAW that The Phenomenal One won, but the former AEW star got his rematch at Elimination Chamber.
There, he evened the odds and picked up the victory, thanks to some help from The Undertaker, who came back and assaulted Styles, setting the stage for a match at WrestleMania 36.
That said, Malakai Black could show up and spoil the former WWE Champion's RAW debut, re-igniting their feud during the Road to WrestleMania.
AJ Styles shares excitement about WWE return at Royal Rumble
The Phenomenal One was out for a few months with injury, and it was unclear whether he would show up at the Royal Rumble. Eventually, he did and competed in the match before Logan Paul eliminated him.
Speaking with WWE backstage reporter Cathy Kelley, the former champion shared his excitement about his comeback and the warm welcome he got from fans.
"Did you notice that I wore the same gear too? Pretty much the same colors, everything. [It's] almost the same experience with the fans, the WWE Universe. It's been a minute because I've been hurt and I'm back, but man, that feeling that you get when you walk down that aisle and thousands of people are screaming, oh, I don't know if it gets any better than that. Does it get much better than that? I don't think so. It's why I'm still doing this," AJ Styles said. [h/t WrestlingInc]
With that in mind, it remains to be seen if The Phenomenal One will target Logan Paul Monday on RAW to get revenge for his Rumble elimination.